HOYER: 40 DAYS AND 40 NIGHTS OF HOLDING THE CHILD TAX CREDIT HOSTAGE IS ENOUGH

For Immediate Release:

July 23, 2003

Contact:Stacey Farnen202-225-3130

WASHINGTON, D.C. – House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (MD) today urged Republicans to immediately accede to Senate-passed legislation to accelerate the child tax credit for millions of working American families and their children, as Democrats engaged in a series of procedural tactics on the House Floor designed to force the GOP to act on this important tax legislation before adjourning for the August District Work Period on Friday:

“When the clock strikes 6:39 tonight, it will have been 40 days and 40 nights since the House appointed conferees to hammer out the differences in House and Senate legislation to accelerate the increase in the child tax credit for 6.5 million families and 12 million children. And still our Republican friends refuse to act.

“Throughout the Bible, the number 40 carries great significance. The rains fell on Noah’s ark for 40 days and 40 nights. Moses was on the Mount for 40 days and 40 nights. And Jesus fasted for 40 days and 40 nights.

“But it is clear that, after 40 days and 40 nights, 12 million American children don’t have a prayer of benefiting from this increase in the child tax credit if Republicans fail to act before Friday, when the House adjourns for the month of August.

“Democrats always suspected that House Republicans passed a child tax credit bill that cost $82 billion because they really wanted to send it into a conference where it would die. The Senate, of course, passed a more responsible version of this bill that cost $10 billion, and Democrats have continually offered to enter a unanimous consent agreement to bring up the Senate bill. But the House Majority refuses.

“With the Treasury Department poised to mail the first child tax rebate checks this Friday, it is unquestionably unfair that 6.5 million low-income families – including more than 200,000 military families – will not share in this tax cut while their better off neighbors do.”